As updates have poured in throughout the last year or so, the PlayStation Portal has become ever more attractive for on-the-go gaming (at least, as long as you have wi-fi available). It’s also perfect for streaming games while laid up in bed at night—or while taking care of some, uh, natural business if you’re so…
Sex. Paranoia. Betrayal. These are the are among the first words that come to mind when we talk about the cult horror hit, It Follows. A movie that serves as a refreshing splash of originality and imagination that has gone on to become a mainstay in the Blu-ray players of horror lovers everywhere. While it’s a movie that certainly receives its share of praise for being fresh with its concept and quite creative in its depiction of the movie’s antagonistic entity- it also doesn’t seem to get the analysis it deserves beyond those initial praises. While the freshness and high-quality storytelling are certainly not up for debate in my book- this movie is awesome- I must say that beyond all the sex, paranoia, and betrayal, there’s also a surprising layer of tenderness, friendship, and empowerment that carry it through the trending page and into the pop culture zeitgeist forever.
It Follows is a 2014 horror film (well, it premiered in 2014, then got its theatrical release in 2015) that sees Jay (Maika Monroe) and her concerned friends as they look for a way to end a curse that Jay was given by her boyfriend by way of the old “in / out”. What follows is… well, “it”. And what that means is essentially a collection of evil apparitions that slowly, and blatantly stalk anyone who holds the curse until their eventual, bloody demise. One of the many things this movie does differently from typical spookies of the era is that instead of making the story a mystery as to how to survive the curse- the solution and “rules” to the curse are given almost right away- and the movie instead focuses it’s brisk runtime on a small group of characters searching for an alternative to the solution that will save anyone else from this sexually transmitted demon.
The movie’s opening scene is easily one of the more memorable in recent years with a long, dramatic, unbroken oner that pans back and forth as it tracks a young woman in her underwear running from someone (or something) that is just behind the camera. The shot starts off quiet with nothing but the ambient sounds of a sleepy middle America neighborhood. Then come the wailing screams of a clearly distressed woman, followed by the swelling synthesizer and rising intensity of the score. The scene does everything that a horror movie needs to do to get audiences into the story. It draws intrigue immediately, gives an unbroken look into the strange behavior of this girl, and shows off the clear skillfulness of the movie’s direction and photography which director David Robert Mitchell styled after the iconic works of John Carpenter and George A. Romero. I mean, even the movies establishing shots are total eye-candy.
One of the things that stands out about It Follows is the way that it evokes the nostalgic, classic horror aesthetic and tone that we love, while also choosing to deliver something that audiences weren’t expecting. For instance, in the tradition of movies like Scream, Psycho, or It, this movie offers a violent opening kill to kick off its 100 minute thrill ride. Yet, for every homage made to the horror movies of old, there’s some kind of unique spin on it that makes it all feel re-invented. Sure, we’ve seen an opening kill scene- but have we ever seen one where the victim knows they’re going to die and they just succumb? There may be an example or two- but I gotta admit, this opening scene genuinely creeps me out and (for some reason) because of the way it’s presented- the victim creeps me out too. I like that very much.
Proceeding this iconic scene, we’re introduced to Jay and some of our supporting cast including Olivia Luccardi as Yara, Lili Sepe as Kelly (Jay’s younger sister), Daniel Zovatto as Greg, and Keir Gilchrist as Paul. Hey man, same name. That’s cool. It’s established early on that Paul has a massive crush on Jay although he doesn’t admit it- and Jay is romantically involved with Hugh (Jake Weary) who not only looks like he’s about 10 years behind the times in terms of douche bag boyfriend fashion, but is also the smooth-talking playboy who gives Jay the curse and then ties her up and forces her to be confronted by a naked woman who he claims is coming for her. He then lets her loose to escape and that’s about the last we get from Hugh.
By the movie’s 20 minute mark, we’re already aware of what the curse seems to be, how it’s transmitted, how to potentially pass it on and (thanks to the movie’s opening scene) just how badly things will be for you if you don’t. So, after getting dumped on the street in front of her house, the true horrors begin when Jay starts experiencing hauntings the very next day after the incident. We’re treated to a nice and effective roster of ghosts to stalk Jay around town in the form of a creepy old woman, a battered and toothless young woman, a beach-going woman, and even a naked man on the roof. Not to mention some other creepy ghouls that stalk Jay and her friends throughout the movie. Of course, you’re probably asking yourself “Why wouldn’t Jay just sleep with someone else and pass on the curse?” And to that I say… She does. And then things get… kind of disturbing.
So, whatever “it” is can clearly change forms. That’s why it looks different every time we see it. When Jay passes the curse onto her friend Greg (which he willingly accepts because horny teenagers) she realizes that she can still see the entity, and she happens to catch it sneaking into Greg’s house. When she rushed across the street to help Greg, she finds that it has taken the shape of Greg’s mother- who then proceeds to… fuck Greg to death. Yeah, not gonna unpack that any further- let’s move on. Now that Greg is dead, the entity will begin searching for the next person in line. In this case, that would Jay since she had the curse before Greg. So, once again, our crew is back at square one as they search for a way to beat this thing.
In a final desperate attempt to rid Jay of this curse, Paul recommends that they try to lure the ghost into the swimming pool of a local school, and drop an assortment of electrical products into the pool to (hopefully) electrocute it out of existence. In my opinion, this set piece is amazing, but the logic of how and why they came to THIS plan as their last hope is maybe a bit convenient. While I’d agree with anyone saying that this is as good a plan as any, I’m really just glad that Paul’s initial plan was scrapped due to his charming morality. See, Paul was thinking of contracting the curse from Jay, then hiring a sex worker to pass it on to with the logic that they would immediately pass it on to another client and remove themselves a few degrees from the growing victim list. Of course, the plan would have ultimately only put off the inevitable with the lurking entity aiming not only to kill the person with the curse, but also anyone who’s EVER had it.
The movie’s final showdown is complete with all the blood, screaming, and scares you’d hope for. When luring the entity into a pool for the electrocution of a lifetime (or afterlifetime) chaos ensues and our guys are forced to fully throw down with “it”. Of course, what’s a good movie without a thought-provoking ending to leave you wanting more? The film closes with Paul seemingly killing the entity in the pool after many botched attempts and even an accidental shooting of his childhood friend (whoops)- Jay and Paul not only walk away alive and mostly unharmed, they also fall in love and have a proper night of uncured sex.
So- the ambiguous ending is a staple of horror- but just like the opening scene which felt familiar and yet new, this ending kind of leaves you the same way with Jay and Paul walking down the street as a couple and an anonymous figure following behind them. Was this person just another neighbor out for a stroll? Or was it, “it”. I’d say we’ll never know but truthfully I think the fact that David Robert Mitchell has discussed plans for a sequel titled “They Follow”- weather or not tis particular entity is gone is kind of irrelevant because as the potential sequels title suggests- there’s more of whatever “it” is out there.
From start to finish, It Follows is a darkly, scary, and brutal horror movie that’s packaged in brilliant cinematography, a kick ass score, overall good performances and most importantly- freshness. This is one that I’d HIGHLY recommend you watch or re-watch on your next movie night. But for now, wear a condom fellas. And ladies, uhhh… run.
A couple of the previous episodes of Deconstructing… can be seen below,. To see more episodes, and to check out our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
The post It Follows (2014) – Deconstructing the Maika Monroe horror film appeared first on JoBlo.
About sixteen years have gone by since we first heard that Sony was developing a film adaptation of the video game Shadow of the Colossus, a project that passed through the hands of Chronicle director Josh Trank and Shōgun writer Justin Marks before Andy Muschietti, who has gone on to direct the It films and The Flash, came on board in September of 2014. When you haven’t heard anything about a project in ten and a half years, you can usually safely assume that it has been scrapped – but during an interview with Radio TU, he said that Shadow of the Colossus is not an abandoned project. He still hopes to make the movie… he’s just having trouble getting studio support for it.
Originally released in 2005, the video game Shadow of the Colossus focuses on a young man, known only to the audience as Wander (or “the Wanderer”), who is tasked with finding and killing sixteen colossi that reside in a desolate expanse of land, in the hopes of resurrecting a sacrificed girl named Mono. A remake of the game was released in 2018.
Muschietti told Radio TU, with thanks to Newsweek for the transcription, “I’m not a big gamer, but Shadow of the Colossus seems to me a masterpiece and I played it several times. The movie has been in development for 10 years. … (It’s) not an abandoned project, far from it. I love this film, there is a script that I like a lot, but there are factors that have nothing to do with your desire to make it, but with how popular an intellectual property like this is. Shadow of the Colossus is a cult game.” According to Muschietti, Sony doesn’t feel the property is popular enough to warrant the budget he would need, which could be around $200 million, to bring the adaptation to the screen.
So Muschietti still wants to make Shadow of the Colossus, he’s still attached to the project and there’s a script in place, but it’s being held back by budgetary issues.
Muschietti is also attached to direct the DCU Batman film The Brave and the Bold, but since that project has been delayed to make way for Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II, he’s currently writing a science fiction screenplay that could end up being his next movie.
Would you like to see Andy Muschietti get Shadow of the Colossus into production? Share your thoughts on this video game adaptation by leaving a comment below.
The post Andy Muschietti hasn’t given up on the Shadow of the Colossus video game adaptation appeared first on JoBlo.
Nintendo’s ongoing refusal to announce the Switch 2 has reached the point of being downright absurd. As leaks continue apace, we’re piecing together the unacknowledged console like a jigsaw puzzle, rapidly leaving Nintendo with nothing else to say but, “Yup, that.” The latest pieces come from third-party…
Nintendo’s ongoing refusal to announce the Switch 2 has reached the point of being downright absurd. As leaks continue apace, we’re piecing together the unacknowledged console like a jigsaw puzzle, rapidly leaving Nintendo with nothing else to say but, “Yup, that.” The latest pieces come from third-party…
2003’s School of Rock compiled a great group of child actors as they not only were able to go toe-to-toe with Jack Black in their comedic performances, but they also really came together as a band for the film. The bond that the cast made was evident as the audience could also feel their synergy. However, for two particular castmates, their bond would blossom into true love. Two of the movie’s child stars, Caitlin Hale and Angelo Massagli, would recently step on stage again, this time in holy matrimony.
Hale played Marta in School of Rock, who was one of the backup singers, while Massagli played Frankie, who became more of a crew member for the band. The two grew up to tie the knot and Entertainment Weekly reports on another cast member — Rivkah Reyes, who portrayed the bassist Katie — documenting parts of the wedding on a TikTok video. The video showcased a mini-reunion with other School of Rock graduates, including Brian Falduto, Joey Gaydos Jr., Robert Tsai, Maryam Hassan, Aleisha Allen and Cole Hawkins. The video, which can be seen below, was posted with the caption, “Celebrating the marriage of CAITLIN & ANGELO with my forever fam #schoolofrock #wedding.”
@rivkah.reyes celebrating the marriage of CAITLIN & ANGELO with my forever fam #schoolofrock #wedding ♬ Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
Additionally, Caitlin Hale posted a slideshow of official photos taken for the wedding on her Instagram. Her post was captioned, “Special thank you to everyone who contributed to an unforgettable day!” Then, she proceeded to give credit to all who contributed to their event. She would also share a group picture that the Dewey Finn alumni gathered for, which would include all the people in the TikTok video.
The movie’s director, Richard Linklater, has said that he would be interested in doing a sequel, but it would have to be just right. He explained, “It has been a long time. There was talk of it years ago but I’d love to work with Jack [Black] again. But there’s got to be a reason. There’s got to be something.” He would cite his Before movies with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy for reference, “Don’t do it unless there’s an idea, the reason we did two Befores is there was a good idea screaming out, there’s something to express about this.”
On whether or not too much time has passed for people to truly care about a School of Rock sequel, Linklater said, “There’s another type of sequel I usually call the ‘victory lap sequel’. They’re usually out pretty quick, they’re economic, and everyone knows it…We’re way beyond that, so why would you do it unless there’s something specific to tell…There’s always a good idea to be had.”
The post The School of Rock cast reunites for the wedding of two of the former castmates appeared first on JoBlo.
In 19th century Iceland, the young widower Eve (Odessa Young) finds herself in charge of a fishing crew (Rory McCann, Siobhan Finneran, Turlough Convery, Lewis Gribben, Francis Magee and Mícheál Óg Lane), as the ice thickens and resources dwindle it is already clear their survival will be hard won, when they witness a ship sinking on the horizon, it is decided they can’t risk themselves to help a crew of strangers. However this utilitarian decision is one they will soon come to regret.
Thordur Pallson’s feature debut The Damned, is inspired by the Iceland folktales of ‘draugr’ which are undead men who return to seek revenge. Although the crew vary in their belief of folktales, the blinding snow and minimal candlelight soon leave them doubting as shadows creep into the periphery. As a gothic tale, The Damned, is straightforward, but the supernatural sightings quickly become unimaginative. There is nothing to differentiate this undead figure from any other ghost story and although we are consistently told the ‘draugr’ will drive crew to extreme acts little is offered which truly disturbs.
When eels crawl out of the guts of a washed up corpse, similar to the gag-wrenching beach scene in The Tin Drum (1979), The Damned sets a squeamish precedent early in its run time that I hoped it would soon triumph over. But instead, the promise that what is infecting the minds of Eve and her crew will drive them mad only manifests in the forms of brutish violence outbursts where men brawl with one another while scuffling across cramped cabins.
Despite its refusal to lean into the visceral imagery it sets out with, The Damned still succeeds in creating a haunting atmosphere, which is aided by the deserted Icelandic landscape that seems to stretch on forever. The barren beachside graveyard even serves as a nod to Nosferatu as the crucifix grave heads jut out from the frozen ground, a thematic paralleling between the monsters that become scapegoats in desperate times. Pairing this haunting gothic backdrop and the sound design that compliments Iceland’s Westfjords, the beauty of this frozen world unsettles.
Odessa Young, who spends much of the film walking across this drastic landscape, performs best as the rational voice to counteract those amongst her crew who are spreading folkloric misinformation. But her expression of misery plateaus early on and though the situation increasingly worsens it seems there’s no further depth of anguish for her to mine. Each discovery of loss is greeted with the same shock, despite her straining to maintain control over a dwindling crew.
A socio-political message can be gleaned from this icy ghost story: in austere times it is easy for us to make each other into monsters. But this isn’t something we are left to interpret for ourselves, as the film ends with a flashback that reveals the supernatural creatures true nature. What may have been intended as a chilling revelation, serves only as a reminder (one becoming increasingly frequent) that audiences are no longer to be trusted with the slightest inference. A disappointing end that takes away any ambiguity for us to chew on.
ANTICIPATION.
Initially intrigued by the gothic promise…
3
ENJOYMENT.
The Nordic landscape is shouldering a lot of the atmospheric duty.
3
IN RETROSPECT.
Ultimately audiences will be left out in the cold.
3
Directed by
Thordur Pallson
Starring
Odessa Young,
Rory McCann,
Joe Cole
The post The Damned review – haunting but disappointing appeared first on Little White Lies.
Microsoft has a huge lineup of big games for the Xbox Series X/S and PC (as well as PlayStation 5) this year, and it’s getting the ball rolling early with a January showcase to give players a better look at Doom: The Dark Ages and a bunch of other stuff coming out in 2025.
Microsoft has a huge lineup of big games for the Xbox Series X/S and PC (as well as PlayStation 5) this year, and it’s getting the ball rolling early with a January showcase to give players a better look at Doom: The Dark Ages and a bunch of other stuff coming out in 2025.
There are a lot of unique, one-off trophies to earn in Astro Bot if you’re trying to unlock the game’s platinum trophy. Some of them are worded in a way that makes you stop and think for a bit, which isn’t the most helpful for us digital completionists. For instance, if you’re stuck on the “Deep-Pocket Dragon” trophy,…